Please read How I Became A Music Pirate from the Consumerist.   It explains what is so asinine about the music industry today.

But I admit it — I have an iPod and use iTunes.  And I like to put my CD’s in iTunes and import them in.  But I don’t buy CD’s anymore and I want my music my way, not the way that the RIAA wants me to listen to it.

In the eyes of the RIAA, if you are listening to music and they aren’t getting paid for it, then you are a music pirate.  It doesn’t matter if you are doing it under fair use or not.  They will still send you a note that says if you don’t pay so much money to them, they will sue you.  Of course, anyone can sue somebody for anything they choose — it’s not “illegal” necessarily[1].  Just talk to my alma matter.

Naturally, the DRM is easy to get around using high tech and low tech methods (note: if you can burn a file to an audio CD, you are there already!).  This will not stop.  The world has changed — when will the recording industry get to the 21st century?

[1] I’m not an attorney nor do I play one on TV.  Don’t use this blog for legal advice.